Pallet de-banding machine with improved analytical abilities
AssigneeR. A. Pearson Company
InventorsRichard R. Lile, Daniel V. Brown
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated de-banding machine which can perform by scanning the surface of the pallet to determine the number and position of bands to be removed. The machine also is capable of analyzing to determine the overlay bands from underlay bands. The overlay bands are removed first and typically fed individually to a chopper which chops the bands into pieces for recycling. The band information may be recorded and used to facilitate handling of a similar type of pallet in future operations to eliminate any stoppage for determination of retooling or adjustment.
Claims47
An apparatus for automated debanding of pallets by cutting bands which extend about at least portions of the pallet being operated upon, comprising:
- a frame;
- at least one receiver at which a pallet is received to be operated upon by the apparatus;
- at least one movable head mounted upon said frame for movement relative to a pallet received in said at least one receiver;
- at least one band detector which scans at least one surface of a pallet to detect the number and location of bands which are on a pallet being operated upon in the at least one receiver by said apparatus;
- at least one band cutter mounted upon the at least one movable head for severing bands extending about a pallet positioned in the at least one receiver;
- at least one controller for recording information obtained from the at least one band detector indicating the number and position of any bands on a pallet being operated upon;
- and
- an overlay analyzer for determining which of any intersecting bands on a pallet being operated upon are overlay bands and for causing an overlay band of any such intersecting bands to be cut before any cutting of an underlay band of the intersecting bands.
An apparatus for automated debanding of pallets by cutting bands which extend about at least portions of the pallet being operated upon, comprising:
- a frame;
- at least one receiver at which a pallet is received to be operated upon by the apparatus;
- at least one movable head mounted upon said frame for movement relative to a pallet received in said at least one receiver;
- at least one band detector mounted upon said at least one movable head which scans with movement thereof at least one surface of a pallet to detect the number and location of bands which are on a pallet being operated upon in the at least one receiver by said apparatus;
- at least one band cutter mounted upon the at least one movable head for severing bands extending about a pallet positioned in the at least one receiver;
- at least one band gripper mounted upon the at least one movable head for holding bands that are severed by the at least one band cutter;
- at least one controller for recording information obtained from the at least one band detector indicating the number and position of any bands on a pallet being operated upon;
- and
- an overlay analyzer for determining which of any intersecting bands on a pallet being operated upon are overlay bands and for causing an overlay band of any such intersecting bands to be cut before any cutting of an underlay band of the intersecting bands.
An apparatus for automated debanding of pallets by cutting bands which extend about at least portions of the pallet being operated upon, comprising:
- a frame;
- at least one receiver at which a pallet is received to be operated upon by the apparatus;
- at least one movable head mounted upon said frame for movement relative to a pallet received in said at least one receiver;
- at least one band detector which scans at least one surface of a pallet to detect the number and location of bands which are on a pallet being operated upon in the at least one receiver by said apparatus;
- at least one band cutter mounted upon the at least one movable head for severing bands extending about a pallet positioned in the at least one receiver;
- at least one controller for controlling operation of the apparatus;
- and
- an overlay analyzer for determining which of any intersecting bands on a pallet being operated upon are overlay bands and for causing an overlay band of any such intersecting bands to be cut before any cutting of an underlay band of the intersecting bands.
A method for automated debanding of pellets by cutting bands which extend about at least portions of the pallet being operated upon, comprising:
- scanning at least one surface of the pallet to determine bands present on a pallet being operated upon;
- analyzing the bands to determine which band is an overlay band of any intersecting bands on the pallet;
- using a power operated, controllably movable head having a cutter thereon to perform band cutting;
- cutting the overlay band of any intersecting bands;
- removing any cut overlay bands;
- cutting the underlay band remaining at any band intersection after the overlay band has been cut;
- and
- removing any cut underlay bands.
A method for automated debanding of pallets by cutting bands which extend about at least portions of the pallet being operated upon, comprising:
- scanning at least one surface of the pallet to determine the position and number of bands present on a pallet being operated upon;
- recording information indicating the position and number of bands present on a pallet being operated upon;
- analyzing the bands to determine which band is an overlay band of any intersecting bands on the pallet;
- cutting the overlay band of any intersecting bands running crosswise to the cutting direction;
- removing any cut overlay band;
- cutting the underlay band remaining at any band intersection after the overlay band has been cut;
- and
- removing any cut underlay bands.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.